UT Participates in CNN-YouTube Debate

Published: Nov 26, 2007

CNN Debate Focus Group to be Broadcast from UT

As the Republican
presidential candidates convene for their 13th debate Wednesday, Nov.
28, in St. Petersburg, the University of Tampa community will be at the
forefront of the national viewing audience.

The debate, sponsored
by CNN and YouTube, will feature videotaped questions from people
across the United States, including, possibly, some from UT students.

Recently,
St. Petersburg Times online editor Catriona Stuart visited the UT
campus to take questions addressed to the candidates from students and
other people in the community.

Toting a video camera and a sign
advertising the debate, Stuart set up shop in UT’s Vaughn Center where
she recorded a total of 14 questions, addressing many of today’s most
contentious issues.

The questions were then submitted through YouTube for inclusion in the debate.

According to Stuart, no question was off-limits, nor did she edit any of the videotaped submissions.

“I
started this project with the idea of having anybody be able to
participate in the debate,” Stuart said. “It’s gotten a really good
reception so far.”

Also, a CNN-sponsored focus group of 24
undecided Republican voters will convene at UT to watch the debate and
electronically express their satisfaction and dissatisfaction of the
candidates throughout the debate. The debate will include live
broadcasts from the focus group, and the groups’ electronic tallies will
scroll in real time as the debate progresses.

More than 4
million viewers tuned into CNN’s Democratic presidential candidate
debate on Nov. 16. The Republican debate is scheduled to begin at 8 p.m.